Dry January Update

It is February! Well into February, honestly. I didn't quite know how to write this. A lot has changed since I first decided to do Dry January. Going into Dry January I "knew" things to be true and hoped for many things. I stand by my initial thoughts, but I think I've landed somewhere a little different than where I thought I would be. 

To reiterate, I've never tried to not drink alcohol before. I have done thirty day no Coca-Cola challenges many times. Not drinking alcohol was honestly one of the easiest things I've ever done. Thank goodness. I know not drinking alcohol can be difficult for people for many reasons, but thankfully it was not for me. It felt so good. I felt so good. Not drinking Coca-Cola was more difficult. I do realize now that my main need for it really comes down to fizziness, but it is just so delicious. Because of the amount of Coca-Cola I consumed on a regular basis, I think the reason I felt so good in January is because I didn't have that. Alcohol was a part of that I am sure, but I think Coca-Cola affects me more. 

Things I learned:

- There are a lot of great mocktail options out there to make yourself or order, even if it's not on a menu. Just ask! 

- I sleep so much better. I have a feeling it's the caffeine or sugar or both. But after having a couple of Coca-Cola's this month... I had a harder time falling asleep and staying asleep. 

- It's really easy to get caught up in ordering a drink when with friends, but absolutely unnecessary. I found interactions with my friends in January to be a little less crazy and loud and a little more soft and productive. I think there is time for both of these things. And I feel a little more empowered to be choosey. 

- I like a morning fizzy drink. A lot. 

- It's possible I lost weight (I don't own a scale). But I did not lose inches. I feel less bloated and I think I mostly look less bloated. 

- Finding things to do that didn't revolve around drinking was not that difficult. It's just so ingrained in us to "grab a drink". It's easy and sometimes a little lazy. There is so much more to do out there!

- There are a lot of soda options out there that don't have the calories or sugar of Coca-Cola that are tasty, but incredibly expensive. 

- I am reaching for more healthy options. I think this has something to do with my palette changing slightly from more sugary options. I also just think I've worked hard to try to create this habit and it's starting to work. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy chips and dip and candy, but I am reaching for it way less. 

- If I'm not eating or drinking as much sugar, I feel so much better. This is a no brainer, honestly, but sometimes you just need to experience it. 

There are more things, but these are the bigger ones. Or, what I thought about the most during the month. 

The last two weeks of January, I did a little bit of experimenting with other soda-like options. As a person who likes what she likes and is described as picky - I feel like you can take this list of things and know what's actually good. I tried sodas, juices, and kombuchas. 

- Sodas: I tried Poppi and Olipop. Here is the best way I can describe the taste differences between the two. Poppi is a soda with fruit juice and Olipop is a fruit juice with fizz. These are not factual statements, it's just how I can describe the taste. Poppi, to me, is the better soda replacement. Olipop has very good options, but I wouldn't really describe it as a soda. Favorite Poppi flavors: Raspberry Rose (the favorite), Orange, Grape. Favorite Olipop flavors: Tropical Punch, Grape, Orange. I did not like any root beer or cola flavors. They tasted too much like homemade options - there's a reason I like Coca-Cola so much and it's not because I can taste the vanilla in it. The main problem I have with both of these options is the price. I can get a 4-pack of Poppi for $7-8 and a 12-pack of Coca-Cola for $9. It just doesn't add up.

In the soda category, I switched to the zero sugar version of San Pellegrino's aranciata. My preferred flavor is blood orange. This is the best price option. It doesn't have any kind of nutritional value (whereas Poppi and Olipop have some fiber). However, I can overlook that when a 6-pack is around $7. I think I'll start trying more zero sugar options of regular sodas to see how they compare. 

- Juices: Honestly, I just tried a 50% less sugar OJ and it was okay. I think the brand might have something to do here because I've had a "no sugar" OJ and thought it was delicious (but it was at a restaurant). I've always been a big apple juice drinker and I wonder if I can find one with less added sugar that tastes great too.

-Kombuchas: I tried a Health Aide and Synergy option. I think Health Aide tastes like bread dipped into fruit juice. It's not good. I had to basically make myself drink this. Synergy was pretty tasty. It was easy to finish and didn't leave a weird taste in my mouth. These are expensive options as well, but I'll definitely be adding them into my routine more and more.

If you've stuck around this long, I thank you. Just a little more on what my future looks like. The first weekend in February, I introduced both alcohol and Coca-Cola into my life. I had a High Noon, a White Claw, and a glass of Prosecco one day/night. Each drink was spaced out and drank with water. I felt a bit of a buzz, but all in all, it felt all right. I didn't feel that bloated and my last drink was around 8 pm, so there was absolutely no hangover. The next day I had a fountain Coca-Cola. It was delicious. And I think it messed with my bowels. I haven't had alcohol or a Coca-Cola since (so it's now been a week) and I'm good. I think drinking my alcohol more slowly and deliberately will help me not drink to excess and I plan to keep Coca-Cola out of my house and only getting it out as a little treat (as long as I don't shit my brains out later). 

All in all, I'm really glad I did this. I feel like I've set up some great habits and I feel so much better. I'm excited to see how I move through the rest of the year. I highly recommend doing something like this if you're feeling some kind of way about something. It's a great barometer for how you're feeling and interacting with certain things.